Longevity Noodles with Chicken, Ginger and Mushrooms
Ingredients
12 ounces thin fresh noodles, like lo mein or tagliarini
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/4-inch-thick, bite-size slices
1 tablespoon finely shredded ginger
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
5 ounces (about 3 cups) thinly sliced Napa cabbage
4 ounces (about 2 cups) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
½ cup finely shredded scallions
Directions
Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil over high heat and cook noodles until just done, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water until cool, then shake well to remove water. Return noodles to pot, add sesame oil, and toss.
Put chicken in a shallow bowl and add ginger, one teaspoon rice wine, cornstarch, one teaspoon soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Mix gently to combine. In a small bowl, combine remaining one tablespoon rice wine and one tablespoon soy sauce.
Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water evaporates almost on contact. Swirl in one tablespoon peanut oil, add red pepper flakes and stir-fry 10 seconds using a metal spatula. Push pepper flakes aside and add chicken, spreading in a single layer to maximize contact with the wok. Let cook undisturbed one minute, until chicken begins to sear.
Stir-fry chicken and pepper flakes together, tossing in the wok, for a minute or 2 until just done. Remove to a bowl. Add cabbage and mushrooms and stir-fry one minute until just wilted but not cooked. Empty into the bowl with chicken.
Reheat wok, swirl in remaining one tablespoon peanut oil, and add noodles. Stir-fry 30 seconds, moving constantly to heat through. Swirl soy sauce-rice wine mixture and add to wok along with chicken-vegetable mixture and scallions. Sprinkle on 3/4 teaspoon salt and stir-fry a minute or 2 until chicken and vegetables are heated through.